Does anyone know of a hair serum or shine spray, that really makes your hair glossy? I dye my hair and although it is in fairly good condition, sometimes it looks a bit dull. I would prefer a supermarket brand, but a high end product would probably be OK too.

I found a product this past winter when the heater indoors was making my hair really frizzy during the day. Plus in winter I never let my hair stay wet so it gets blow-dried which makes it worse. The product called Garnier Fructis Style. You put it on after you wash your hair and towel dry it. I comb it through my hair backwards 100 strokes, then frontwards 100 strokes. That way it gets through to every strand. Now whether I blow dry or not, it comes out nice and soft and shiny. And manageable!

Initially it's a little high priced, but you only need a tiny bit at a time so it lasts a long time. I got my first bottle in October last year and am only on my second bottle now, in late March. And I use it every other day.

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Dose anybody have tips for getting your hair full of shine, softness, and health? If so please let me know.

Aliesha

Answers:

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

I'm a licensed cosmetologist and what you need to buy can only be purchased at a beauty supply store. I'm not talking about the cheap conditioners that you can buy at your local Walmart, grocery store, or pharmacy.The name of the product is Ion Reconstructor Treatment. It strengthens and conditions hair, protects hair against damage, adds body and manageability, and is also acid-balanced. Copied off the back of this product that I have: This highly effective reconstructing treatment offers a new concept in treating damaged hair. A unique combination of anionic (-) and cationic (+) ions bonds the positively charged proteins to the negatively charged, damaged hair through magnetic attraction. Hair is repaired and strengthened with the precise amount of conditioner necessary to return it to its natural state. After one treatment hair will be stronger, easier to manage and style. Reconstructs the hair cuticle, penetrates to repair damage in the cortex, adds body and improves texture, and repairs split ends.

In order to give your hair shine what you need is Finishing Shine by Clairol, which comes in a pump bottle. I don't know if Clairol is still making this. I purchased this bottle years ago from a discount pharmacy. I also have a small bottle of Jheri Redding Volumizer Spray on Shine which I purchased at a beauty supply shop. (03/20/2008)

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

You may not believe this but, use plain old soda, 3 tbsp, water 1 cup, and a tsp baby shampoo. Rinse with white vinegar. I have never in all my life, of any shampoo I have ever used had such soft, healthy and manageable hair as I do now. I look in the mirror and it just blows me away, soda and vinegar did this. My husband freaks out over it. Now its all he'll use! and he's a hair freak, gotta be just so, no one touches his hair.

2 - 3 Tbsp baking soda

1 cup water

1 tsp baby shampoo

This will be enough to wash shoulder length hair approx 3-4 times. Rinse in plain old white vinegar. (03/20/2008)

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

For longterm hair health you have to be healthy all over. Take your vitamins! (There are even hair vitamins out there.) And don't torture your hair by excessive blow drying, ironing, flattening, using a curling iron, etc.

Try to air dry when you can (I use mousse). You also don't have to shampoo daily, unless your hair is very oily/gets dirty. Wear hats/hair sunscreen in the summer sun. Rinse out the chlorine from swimming pool water. Then you can use the modern products to give your hair shine (or in the meantime.) There are lots of conditioners/glossers. But be aware that most of them contain silicone, which can build up. So use in moderation. Just some thoughts. (03/20/2008)

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

For extra shine: Before you shower take a large plastic glass full of warm water and add to it one tablespoon of bottled lemon juice. After you're done with washing and conditioning, take the lemon juice water and pour this over your hair, them comb it with a large-tooth comb, then rinse it out. You'll get super shiny hair because the lemon juice changes the pH of your hair, so it closes up the hairs cuticle. Plus, it rinses out any shampoo residue so it also helps remove dandruff.

* But, don't do this every time you wash your hair cause the lemon can be a tiny bit harsh on your hair.

Finish with a shine-laminator or shine-serum made with dimethicone like "Citre-Shine" or "Frizz-eze".

Also to choose a good conditioner for a good price, look for the ingredient stearalkonium chloride in the first 5 ingredients. (03/20/2008)

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

My aunt back in the day (1950s) taught me about rinsing my hair with apple cider vinegar for shine and healthy hair. Just pour about 1/4 to 1/2 cup in a glass and add warm water then pour over hair and rinse out. Also rain water works great! (03/21/2008)

By Margy817

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

For an easy shine, do your last rinse in cold water. That will give your hair more shine. (03/22/2008)

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

I agree with pamphylia, you need to take care of yourself also. One thing is this something that just happened? And have you noticed any other problems? If so talk to a doctor. One thing I can recommend which I take is folic acid you can get a prescription for it or over the counter, but it will help. Also as pamphylia said take some vitamins. A lot of vitamins have the recommended amount of folic acid. The one my doctor recommended is over the counter Women's One A Day. Also as we get older they say take vitamins stick to these vitamins not the ones for over 50, as they do not have all the vitamins the regular vitamins have. Good luck. (03/22/2008)

By Darlene

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

I, too, am a licensed cosmetologist. There are plenty of natural ways, not only the vinegar and soda, but olive oil, egg white, etc. that can be used. The best thing is "not" to use products with too many chemicals. I cannot believe that MCW would even suggest using products that are sold at Sally Beauty Supply rather than at a salon, knowing full well that the pH level of those products are terrible for your hair. If you want soft shiny hair just take care of it and try not to use too many products or products with synthetic chemicals. (03/25/2008)

By Marcia

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

My husband put a few drops of tea tree oil in my bottled shampoo. I shake it up well to combine before each use and use this on my hair once a week (leaving it on my hair while I'm bathing and then rinse it out). During the rest of the week, I'll use another shampoo without the tea tree oil in it. I can go for a longer period of time without having to wash my hair. The tea tree oil/shampoo mix makes my hair soft and my scalp has never been happier! No more itchy scalp. (03/31/2008)

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

Wash your hair with regular shampoo and then rinse your hair with a can or bottle of beer. Your hair will be very bouncy and shiny. Do this once a month with the beer rinse. To get your scalp super clean, wet your hair and then pour and rub white vinegar into your scalp. You will feel very clean. You might want to give your hair a few spritz with hair spray to get the smell out, but this method is excellent for thick hair. (04/21/2008)

By Anne

Getting Shiny, Soft Hair

I found that most commercially bought cholesterol hair conditioners contain alcohol, the very thing that dries out hair. Instead I grab a cup full of mayonnaise (depending on the length of your hair mine is shoulder length), some plastic food wrap and throw a couple of towels in the drier on high.

Work the mayonnaise into your hair, starting by massaging it into the scalp and roots. Then draw it through to your ends until your hair is thoroughly coated. Pile the hair on top of your head. Take a couple of feet of Saran Wrap and wrap it around the top of your head to contain the mayo.

Take a pre-heated towel from the dryer and wrap it around your head over the Saran Wrap. The heat will aid with deep conditioning. After about 10 minutes, change to another heated towel and leave that on for another 10 minutes. Remove the towel and plastic wrap and shampoo your hair as usual. Done once a month, this cholesterol treatment will keep your hair soft and shiny.

* Tip: if your hair ends are very damaged from chemical treatment, you can do this once a week. If your scalp is naturally oily, you might want to only add mayo to the hair ends for weekly treatments. (08/21/2008)